Tewksbury swindle suspect in court

LOWELL -- The 34-year-old former treasurer of a Tewksbury-based nonprofit that helped special-needs children has pleaded not guilty to embezzlement charges.

Police said Lashanta Magnusson, of 41 Roper Lane, Tewksbury, stole more than $5,000 using the group's debit cards to pay for such items as her car loan, gas, groceries and pizza.

Magnusson pleaded not guilty to one count of an association officer embezzling from the association. She was released on personal recognizance.

When contacted by The Sun, Magnusson had no comment.

Tewksbury police allege in court documents that their investigation began Sept. 18 when three board members of Friends of Special Ed Kids (FOSEK) approached police about Magnusson, FOSEK's treasurer.

FOSEK officials told police there were some improprieties in the group's savings and checking accounts and that Magnusson is the only board member with access to both accounts. Magnusson was the only one issued three debit/credit cards, they said.

Officials allege that dating to April, there were 43 unapproved withdrawls from the checking account and 10 unapproved withdrawals from the savings account. Upon further investigation officials allegedly found withdrawals dating to 2010. In total, FOSEK officials estimate Magnusson embezzled $5,152.

Officers indicated Magnusson was forthcoming and remorseful, according to court documents. She allegedly admitted she used FOSEK's money over a three-year span for her own personal use, such as paying her car loan, police said.

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According to court documents, FOSEK CEO/President Vincent Messina told police he first noticed a problem Sept. 10, when he made a deposit of $85 into the group's account and saw the balance was much lower than expected. But Messina told police he remembered an incident on Aug. 20 when there was a $640 withdrawal from the group's savings account.

The withdrawal slip was signed by Magnusson and a check was made out to a finance company for $640. Magnusson allegedly told Messina it was a donation from her boss at RE/MAX and must have been mistakenly debited. She immediately gave Messina a check.

Beginning in May 2010, court documents show ATM withdrawals or electronic purchases sometimes days apart to pay for gas, car repairs, a car loan, and groceries at Market Basket, Walmart and Pizza Regina. Sometimes the ATM withdrawals were as low as $10 or were hundreds of dollars.

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